Jo Scott – The dog portrait that changed my life and launched my art business
Jo Scott is a dog artist, illustrator, Substacker and creative business owner whose work now reaches people all over the world. Yet just over a decade ago, Jo was working in corporate and dreaming of creating her own greetings cards, something that had been at the back of her mind since Uni. Her business, Jo […]
Clayton Payne – What I’ve learned in 30 years in the pet industry
Clayton Payne is a pet industry expert who’s been in the trade for over three decades – and who’s built one of the UK’s most well-known and well-respected wholesale businesses from scratch. He shares what it was like starting out as a young lad knocking on doors trying to get products into shops, how he […]
Pet business content and social media calendar
If you’ve ever felt like creating content for your pet business is like being on a hamster wheel that never stops spinning, you’re not on your own. Since 2019, I’ve worked with hundreds of pet business owners to help them get visible and promote what they do. One thing that comes up time and time […]
Why I am an accredited pet business coach
Why would you train to be a coach? In this post I’m going to explain the reasons why I made the decision to be an accredited pet business coach. Because there is a lot of eye rolling around coaching and I can see why. These days, you can find a coach for almost anything… decluttering, […]
19 lessons I’ve learned from 19 years of running my business
Tomorrow marks 19 years since I left my job as a staff writer on the News of the World to go freelance. On July 11th, 2006, I was 30, single, living in my old house in Warrington and paying the mortgage on my own. I had no savings, no security – just a MacBook, a […]
How to start a newsletter for your pet business
Or revive one that’s been neglected… If you’ve been thinking about starting a newsletter for your pet business – or you’ve already started one but it’s been a bit neglected – this post is for you. Email is still one of the most powerful ways to connect with your audience. Unlike social media, where posts […]
Takeaways from the Pet Industry Federation Business of Pets Conference 2025
In June 2025, the Pet Industry Federation hosted its third Business of Pets conference – a two-day event that brought together founders, retailers, marketers, investors, and innovators from across the pet industry. Held at Cranfield University, the programme was full of insight and inspiration. Across expert-led panels, hands-on workshops, and the Innovation Award pitches, we […]
Defamation law – what every pet business needs to know
How to stay on the right side of the law with your content When emotions are high and conversations are heated, it’s easy to forget that what you post online is legally considered published. That Instagram Story, Facebook post or podcast episode carries the same legal weight as a newspaper headline. In this blog, I’m […]
10 reasons to work with a pet business coach
There are lots of reasons why you might want to work with a pet business coach. If you’ve been thinking about coaching but feel unsure whether it’s the right time or the right investment, you’re not alone. For many pet business owners, coaching can feel like an indulgence. Plus, there are so many things to […]
How to take care of your mental health as a pet professional
A guide for Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 Taking care of your emotional well-being is key as a pet professional, and this is a guide to support you as part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2025. If you’ve been struggling to be online recently, you’re not alone. There have been huge political changes globally, conflict, […]